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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 1, 20 19 | 2 Always There When You Need Us atlascare.caFastest Emergency Service in Oakville A/C or Plumbing EmErgEnCY? Call The Experts at 289-205-3443 TO BOOK A TOUR CALL US TODAY! 905.582.0395 3136 Dundas Street West, Oakville, ON L6M 0S5 I verveseniorliving.com At Palermo Village Retirement Residence, we want you to live life your way and enjoy the positive energy in our dynamic community. Share experiences, interests and talents through unexpected and inclusive activities and learn new things about yourself and the people around you. Entertain family and friends over a great meal and leave the dishes to us. Be as busy as you would like to be, make new friends & live a rich quality of life with purpose! considerable attention from sur- rounding residents, who voiced concerns about the plan not hav- ing enough parking and increased traffic congestion for the area. Others had issues with the den- sity and said insufficient side and front yards would infringe on the privacy of neighbouring residents and create a sense of crowding for pedestrians walking in the area. The loss of the green space that currently occupies the site was al- so discussed. During the LPAT hearing, which ran throughout June, the town argued that through its official plan it has very clearly defined "strategic growth areas," which do not in- clude this property. GWL Realty Advisors noted there are exceptions to this policy. For example, intensification in existing residential neighbour- hoods is permitted if the charac- ter of the area is preserved and the overall urban structure of the town is upheld. Swinkin said the implication in the town's argument was that until these growth areas have reached a substantially built out stage, development opportunities outside the growth areas should be discouraged. "There was a clear sense from the testimony of the town plan- ning witnesses that they ap- proached the official plan as pro- viding a hierarchy of develop- ment areas which would be ag- gressively managed, with a tight rein on development outside of the defined growth areas. The dif- ficulty with this interpretation is that its effect is to diminish con- sideration of sites which are not within defined growth areas. The tribunal treats this as a dilution of provincial policy that is not war- ranted," said Swinkin. "The (Provincial) Growth Plan is plain. Intensification is to be en- couraged generally throughout the built-up area. The tribunal takes that at face value and treats that as creating an obligation to give due regard to intensification proposals throughout the built-up area, irrespective of the hierar- chy." The town also said the site is not under-utilized, as the develop- er claims, because at its current site area and unit count the densi- ty of the property is 202 units per site hectare. With permitted density at the site at 185 units per site hectare the town argued the site is actual- ly beyond its planned function. GWL Realty Advisors pointed out the proposed development is surrounded by apartment build- ings, many with greater heights and densities than what is being planned. Swinkin said the property will feature 195 resident parking spac- es and 25 visitor parking spaces. He said the town offered no ob- jection to this level of parking. It was noted that mature trees located at the front of the property will likely be removed. However, landscaping will be placed along the Marine Drive frontage. Swinkin also said the Traffic Impact Assessment produced for GW Realty Advisors indicated the local road system has more than adequate capacity and that there are no expected operational is- sues. Ultimately, the tribunal agreed with the developer's position. "What the tribunal finds in the evidence is that the property does indeed represent an opportunity to convert space now serving no necessary purpose into the provi- sion of housing which would be compatible with the surrounding neighbourhood and add to the rental housing stock of the munic- ipality," said Swinkin. "The tribunal does not accept the proposition of the town that the growth management strategy, as embodied in the official plan, forecloses consideration of these kinds of opportunities." Swinkin said the tribunal would allow the requested official plan amendment to authorize an increase in density to 239 units per site hectare to permit the con- struction of the four-storey apart- ment building on the site. It is unclear what, if anything, this decision will mean for other developments proposed for estab- lished areas of Oakville, most no- tably the Glen Abbey Golf Course development plan. NEWS Continued from page 1 TRIBUNAL AGREES WITH REALTOR OVER COUNCIL THE ISSUE: CAN THE TOWN OF OAKVILLE RESTRICT INTENSIFICATION TO AREAS NOT DESIGNATED AS PLANNED GROWTH AREAS LOCAL IMPACT: DESPITE PROTESTS BY AREA RESIDENTS AND COUNCIL, A FOUR-STOREY APARTMENT BUILDING PROJECT CAN PROCEED THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal told town council and residents that the apartment building plan is compatible with the neighbourhood.